Gum recession is a common dental issue that can lead to sensitivity, aesthetic concerns, and even tooth loss if left untreated. Traditional gum grafting procedures have long been the go-to solution, but advancements in dental techniques have introduced a minimally invasive alternative – Pinhole Gum Restoration Surgery.
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There are lots of reasons our teeth may not be the brightest at all times. We go to the dentist for regular cleanings, but in the end, they always seem to go back to the way they were. But why? What are we doing to make our smile dingy or flawed? A lot of times, it isn’t how well we clean our chompers. In many cases, discolored or damaged teeth are the result of our own bad habits, other problems are caused by chemicals that entered teeth during childhood. The way we eat, what we put into our mouths, even habits you don’t realize you’ve picked up, like biting your pencil, can all do small damages to our teeth. Here are the biggest dental offenders:
If you find that you have these habits, there are lots of ways to reduce or completely quit your usage. Let your dental professional know – they will likely have a tip or two.
For more information regarding bad dental habits, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.
Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.
Many brands of toothpaste claim to whiten teeth, and stores sell all varieties of tooth whitening products – trays, gels, strips, and rinses – over the counter. The most basic form of teeth whitening is available as toothpaste – toothpaste, whether it’s labeled as whitening or not – typically contains small abrasive components that gently polish the surface of your teeth, removing discoloration caused by surface staining.
Other over the counter whitening products typically contain a bleaching agent – such as hydrogen peroxide – to lighten the color of your teeth by chemically bleaching them. By applying the bleaching chemical to strips or trays, the peroxide can stay in contact with your teeth for 30 minutes at a time, often twice a day, providing quite a bit of whitening benefit.
Your dentist, however, can typically offer two different whitening options. The first is take-home tray based, using chemicals stronger than over-the-counter trays, but working on the same basic principle. Often times dentist provided trays are custom-molded to the patient’s teeth, providing a smooth, comfortable fit suitable for wearing for multiple hours each day – often even overnight. Beyond the trays, dentists can often perform whitening in the office, using light and heat activated bleaching chemicals, providing a significant whitening in as little as 60 minutes. Because the procedure is supervised by a dentist, much stronger chemicals can be used, and much more dramatic results can be seen almost immediately.
No matter which method of teeth whitening you choose, the results will likely not be permanent. After all, our diets don’t really allow for a permanently white grin. Your teeth are exposed to foods and drinks that will stain them over time, but your dentist can advise you on the proper procedure for repeating the whitening process at regular intervals.
For more information regarding teeth whitening, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.
Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.
Every day you see commercials for teeth whitening products, toothpastes, kits, whitening rinses. It can be almost overwhelming, the pressure to have a bright Hollywood smile. Because we all want one, but it isn’t an easy task, especially if we have poor lifestyle habits. Smoking, too much coffee and sodas can all cause our teeth to stain over time. So, what do we do? How do We get our smile back to a brilliant white shade?
There are plenty of over-the-counter products that claim to whiten your teeth, but they will generally take time and may not turn out as bright as you’d like. For quicker results, opt for an in-office whitening procedure. These procedures are considered safe, though you can expect some sensitivity in your teeth and gums for a while afterwards. And because it is not uncommon for the tooth color to dull a bit a week or two following this type of treatment, using an at-home product may help maintain the results.
If choosing a professional whitening treatment, you have two options – in-office and take home. The take-home tray uses chemicals stronger than over-the-counter trays, but oftentimes you’re provided with custom trays, providing a smooth, comfortable fit suitable for wearing for multiple hours each day, even overnight.
When performing a whitening treatment in-office, dentists use light and heat-activated bleaching chemicals, providing a significant whitening in as little as 60 minutes. Because the procedure is supervised by a dentist, much stronger chemicals can be used, and much more dramatic results can be seen almost immediately.
Afterwards, keeping your smile bright depends on your habits and how you look after your teeth, so it is important to be diligent with your daily dental routines.
For more information regarding teeth whitening, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.
Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.
Let’s face it – having a great smile is worth its weight in gold because your smile is typically the first thing that people will notice about your appearance, whether good or not so good. Unfortunately, we aren’t all born with a perfect set of pearly whites. This is where a smile makeover comes into play.
The term smile makeover usually refers to the combination of certain dental procedures to give someone a flawless smile. Because when you go in to discuss your wish list with your dental professional, you will both come up with a treatment plan to follow. Because smiles are like snowflakes – no two smile is the same because no two faces are the same. You need a smile to match your face.
Some of you may think, “My smile is pretty bad. I can’t believe there is a way to fix my grin.” But you need not worry – a smile makeover can address a broad range of aesthetic flaws, including:
Smile makeovers are designed to enhance or even transform your self-image by giving you a brighter and more youthful smile, making your teeth look and function better through cosmetic and restorative dental procedures. Keep in mind the primary focus of a smile makeover is to improve the appearance of your smile rather than the health of your mouth. Therefore, if you have underlying oral health issues, they will need to be addressed before your makeover can begin.
For more information regarding smile makeovers, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.
Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.
There is a difference between homemade and professionally done. Sure, there is something special about doing things on your own, but there are some things best left to the professionals. One example? Our health.
A popular trend that has slipped its way into our culture is DIY dentistry, but it has progressed further than the old “tying a loose tooth to a door with string” procedures. No, now patients are forgoing their dentist and trying to straighten their teeth. The patient takes their own molds or goes to a local facility to have scans taken by non-dental personnel, who then produce clear aligners for their teeth.
Although it may seem like going to the dentist is a thing of the past, take a minute to really think about what is actually going on – it may not be what you think…
Because you do not consult a dentist, you may be causing more damage because you are unaware of how teeth move. Moving teeth is a slow process and should never be rushed. If moved too quickly, your teeth’s roots may not be able to support biting pressure, in addition to loosened teeth, joint problems and headaches. And though your teeth straighten, if pushed outside of the bone, the result can be extensive gum recession and eventual tooth loss.
It seems to be too good to be true because it is. Your smile is important and should be taken seriously. Seek competent help and guidance from a well-trained dentist or orthodontics. It may seem like a shortcut but may end up being more costly than the immediate benefits.
For more information regarding DIY dental work, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.
Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.
We all want a white smile, but maintaining the bright luster isn’t always easy. After time, our teeth begin to turn yellow. It could be for a variety of reasons, but eventually our teeth become tinged with a yellowish hue.
When outside sources of staining are left to sit on the teeth all day until your next brushing, the dentin on your teeth becomes yellowish or darkened. Contributing factors to yellowing, stained teeth can be, smoking, wine, soda and aging. There are a variety of over-the-counter products that can help slow the process, but a professional treatment is really the only thing that will truly rejuvenate our smile back.
Studies show we place a high value on our smiles. According to an American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry survey, here are a couple of facts:
Virtually all adults (99.7%) believe a smile is an important social asset. 96% of adults believe an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to members of the opposite sex.
Three-quarters (74%) of adults feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chance for career success.
And when respondents were asked, “What would you like to improve most about your smile?” The most common response was whiter & brighter teeth.
Simple rules to live by to try and stop the yellowing process:
If you decide that a whitening treatment will be best for your smile’s appearance, talk to your dental professional about it next time you go in for a checkup. They will be more than happy to address any questions or concerns you may have about improving your smile.
For more information regarding discolored teeth, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.
Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.
No matter how careful we try to be, accidents happen, and they happen without warning. And if this accident leads to a dental emergency, it is important to know how to handle the situation in order to cause the least amount of trauma to your smile’s health. Now, if this incident causes issues to one or more teeth, it’s important to contact your dentist immediately. Sometimes the neighboring teeth can suffer additional, unnoticed injuries that can only be detected by a dental exam. When you happen to damage your teeth, here is how your dentist may try to repair your smile, based on the type of injury to your mouth:
Chipped tooth. Most times a chipped or fractured tooth can be repaired by either replacing the broken piece or by bonding a tooth-colored filling. If a large portion of the tooth is broken off, then a crown will likely be required. If the pulp is exposed or damaged a root canal treatment may be needed.
Dislodged tooth. A dislodged tooth is when a tooth pushed sideways, out of or into the socket. In these cases, a patient will usually require a root canal and a dentist or endodontist will focus on stabilizing the tooth.
Knocked out tooth. When a tooth is completely knocked out of the socket it may be able to be saved if the patient arrives to the dentist in time, and the tooth is handled properly. Do not touch the root of the tooth, and keep it moist (either in the socket, on the gum against your cheek, or in milk).
For more information regarding CEREC same day crowns, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.
Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.
When it comes to improving our smiles, we will generally choose the best options with the least amount of hassle or pain. And guess what? There is a way for you to have a beautiful smile in a single office visit thanks to CEREC®.
CEREC® allows our doctors to quickly restore damaged teeth with natural-colored ceramic fillings, saving patients time and inconvenience because the fabrication of all ceramic dental restorations takes place in one office visit. We no longer need to create temporaries or take impressions and send them to a lab. Because of this, the traditional second visit has been eliminated. Imagine that – you are in and out with a permanent, all-ceramic dental crown, onlay, or veneer. Fewer injections, less drilling, and less time out of your hectic schedule for dental care!
The tooth that requires a CEREC® restoration is prepared and a 3D photograph is taken of the prepared tooth. From there, we use computer-aided design CAD software to create the restoration digitally.
Using a single block of porcelain that is color-matched to your current tooth shade, the digitally designed restoration is sent to a milling machine where your restoration is cut. The milling process usually takes about 15 minutes per restoration. Once the restoration is finished being milled, it is fitted onto the prepared tooth and adjusted until the bite is accurate.
Not only is it a time-saver, but these tooth-colored restorations mean no more silver fillings or discoloring smiles. The filling is natural-looking, compatible with tissue in the mouth, anti-abrasive, and plaque-resistant giving you the longest-lasting, best-looking restorations.
For more information regarding CEREC same day crowns, contact Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.
Drs. Freund and Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.
